Strangers In The Night
by Magick Starr
Summary: Jo and Phil go to the pub after work... NonSlash. For once!


A/N: A very different pairing, so leave a review and tell me what you think, if you guys like, I might be inspired to add another chapter!

* * *

Jo ducked, laughing slightly as Phil took a swing for her across the pub table, the male officer had too much alcohol coursing through his veins to allow him to control his muscles long enough to hit her even if she wasn't moving. Smiling again, she pouting, chuckling as Phil threw a cushion over at her. 'Face it, Phil; you're too drunk to aim straight.' She called, the male smirking as he rubbed his leg against hers, proving he could control his limbs a little more than she thought.

Grinning back, Jo reached over the table, gripping on to Phil's hand flopped loosely on the surface, giggling again as she worked each of her fingers in between his, leaving their digits well and truly entwined.

'You're drunk.' Phil commented, moving his hand away from Jo's, his leg still brushing against hers.

'So are you.' Jo retorted, placing her hand back over Phil's.

'Yes, but I'm not gay.' He laughed, shaking Jo's hand off his again, stilling his leg as he realised he hadn't ceased the flirtatious contact.

'Yeah, but I am.' Jo said with a smile, her thoughts so disoriented she wasn't entirely sure what she was saying.

'Mmm, and if I was a woman, I'm sure I'd jump at the chance, Jo, but gay women don't often flirt with men.' He replied, meeting Jo's eyes unwaveringly, not entirely sure what it was about the brunette that attracted him to her despite knowing she was a long way from straight.

'How do you know what gay women do, Philip?' She slurred, smiling wryly at him. 'Is there anything you should tell me?'

'I'm all male, me!' He responded, chortling slightly himself as he let his head flop to one side slightly. 'Ask Sam!' He added, resulting in him receiving a playful kick from the brunette.

'Oi, she's my friend.' The brunette muttered, pausing slightly before she continued. 'Don't talk about her like that.' She finished defensively, frowning slightly as she looked to the male.

'You fancy her?' Phil asked jokingly, grinning as he watched the brunette's embarrassed reaction.

'No! She's a mate and I don't want you treatin' her like dirt.' She retorted, a pale blush reaching her cheeks.

'You do, don't you?'

'Oh come on, Phil, its natural, isn't it? There's no way you'd say no to her, why should it be different just because I'm a woman?'

'Fair enough, I guess. But just so you know, you're too good for her.' He concluded sincerely, his gaze wavering from Jo as a crimson tone entered his cheeks.

Jo paused; watching as Phil turned a deeper shade of magenta, smiling to herself slightly at his, possibly misplaced, but certainly heartfelt compliment. Growing self-conscious at her adoring observations of him, the brunette looked away, downing the remainder of her pint before standing up and grabbing her coat. 'Come on, let's get out of here.'

Phil studied her briefly; his face puzzled for a second before rising with the woman, flashing her a smile. 'Where to?'

'I dunno, maybe just the beer garden or something, it's just too crowded in here, too many people to listen in to our conversation.' She commented, having seemingly sobered up enough to string a sentence together.

'Okay.' Phil replied dubiously, frowning to himself as he wondered what was up with the brunette.

* * *

Phil followed Jo into the beer garden, looking up to the stars; the sky slightly illuminated by the fading lights scattered around sunken in the grass, the night-time air sobering him slightly. Standing behind the brunette, he rested his chin on her shoulder lightly, following her gaze to find she can't have been looking at anything more interesting than he had been. He stood in a protective stance, using their close proximity to ensure she was steady on her feet.

Jo bit down softly on her bottom lip, reaching behind her to take Phil's hands and wrap the around her waist, the brunette resting her own slender palms on the back of his hands. 'The moonlight makes people do stupid things.' She commented mistily, her voice sounding distant.

'What's that supposed to mean?' Phil questioned, still gazing over her shoulder, not daring to move from their embrace for fear of breaking the spell they'd seemed to be placed under. He also wasn't eager to move in case he was forced to face the northern beauty, concerned he'd do something they might both regret.

'I don't know. This I guess. What am I doing?' She whispered hoarsely, her face contorted in confusion.

'I don't know. Do you want me to move?' He offered, unsure of what Jo was trying to say.

Jo shook her head softly. 'No, no I don't want you to move.'

'Then what happens now?'

The brunette shut her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath in her attempts to gather as much courage as possible. Allowing her eyes to see the night sky again, she pursed her lips before turning around, facing Phil, still not breaking the tender contact of his arms around her waist, his fists now resting on her back. Freeing her arms, the brunette brought one hand up to his face, running her fingers down his cheek. 'You could do with a shave.' She remarked, smiling slightly.

'Don't you approve of stubble?' He asked quietly, fearful that if he raised his voice they'd both be snapped out of their trance.

'It's not normally an issue.' She supplied, grinning slightly.

'Well, I guess there's not much about me that fits what you usually look for in a partner.'

'I guess not.'

'You want me to shave it?' He offered, squeezing tighter around her waist.

'Nah, you can keep it, it makes you different.'

'Is that a good thing?'

'Well I'd be a bit worried if you were the same as my usual type.' She joked, smiling as she continued to stroke his face.

'I guess so.' He responded lightly, circling patterns on her fabric covered back. 'You sure it's not too… weird?'

'All of this is weird.' She commented breathlessly, her heart rate increasing as their bodies remained merged. 'But no, I like it; it makes you who you are.' She added, butterflies tingling in her stomach as she felt his breath on her neck. The brunette found her other hand straying up to his cheek, cupping his face lightly in her palms, surprised to find another hand join it, ceasing the contact.

'Are you sure this is what you want?' He checked, not releasing his grip on her second hand at his face.

'No.' She replied sincerely, wavering slightly from his gaze. 'I have no idea, but this is happening, why stop it?' She asked with a gulp, a lump forming in her throat.

'I don't want you to think I took advantage. You're drunk.'

'I won't. I don't know what I want, Phil, but I know that I'm not putting up any kind of fight, I know what I'm doing Phil, even if I don't know what I want.' She answered honestly, hoping she was making sense.

'You sure?'

Jo's eyelids fluttered shut briefly, the brunette smiling slightly again, choosing to cease Phil's contact checks with a delicate kiss. When she was finally satisfied he was incapable of any further inquiries; she pulled back, locking his vision.

'What now?' Phil asked cautiously, wondering whether Jo was still certain that she was in control of her body.

'Lie down with me?' She asked timidly, relieved when the male took her hand and sat down, gently pulling her with him.

Jo stretched out along Phil's length, wrapping one arm around his waist, rolling on to her side to face him.

'So you wanna talk about that?'

'I'm not bi.' She whispered, burying her head into the crook of his neck as she spoke.

'So what, are you saying this was a mistake?' Confusion was overcoming the male, her words telling him something different to her actions as he watched her cuddle closer to him.

'No. I'm not saying that, I'm just saying… I don't know really, it's like that thing when people say 'she's not gay, she just fell in love with a woman.' I guess it's just the other way around with me.'

'Are you saying you love me?'

'No, I'm not saying that, I'm… I don't know. Maybe I am, I'm not sure. I'm just saying that you're the only guy who does anything for me, I guess.'

'Okay. So, you wanna take things further, or…'

'I do if you do.'

'Yeah, I do.'

'Let's just play it by ear, yeah? No presumptions, no second guessing, just us.'

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'Just that. Let's just see how it goes. Leave sexuality out of this, I don't know what to think and I doubt you do either, can we forget our histories and just concentrate on us?'

'Yeah, course, it's probably easier like that anyway.'

'And the guys at the station?'

'Maybe we should keep it quiet for now, y'know, until we get our heads around what you're feeling.'

'Yeah, that sounds good.' She ran a finger down his cheek, shifting towards him for another kiss.

When they pulled apart, Jo gulped, trailing a finger down his cheek. 'Take me home.' She murmured, a tear creeping into her eye as she stared into his green orbs.

He reached out to her cheek, removing the tear lightly with his thumb. 'You okay?'

'Yeah, I'm just… I don't know. I'm fine; I'm just… stay with me?' She stuttered, looking down ashamedly.

'Tonight?'

'Just hold me.'

'Okay.' He replied with a smile, sitting up, tenderly drawing her with him.

'Thanks.' She concluded, allowing her head to flop onto his shoulder as they walked out of the garden, his arm wrapped delicately around her waist.


End file.
